Cover image of The Reith Lectures

The Reith Lectures

Four lecturers take up the themes of Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" speech.

Ranked #1

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Why Do Doctors Fail?

Why Do Doctors Fail?

Surgeon and writer Atul Gawande explores the nature of fallibility and suggests that preventing avoidable mistakes is a ... Read more

25 Nov 2014

41mins

Ranked #2

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The Freedom of the Will

The Freedom of the Will

In the final lecture of his series 'Minds, Brains and Science', John Searle, Professor of Philosophy at the University o... Read more

12 Dec 1984

29mins

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Ranked #3

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Reith Revisited: Grayson Perry on Nikolaus Pevsner

Reith Revisited: Grayson Perry on Nikolaus Pevsner

'The Englishness of English Art' was the theme of the 1955 BBC Reith lectures by art historian Nikolaus Pevsner. Sarah M... Read more

28 Sep 2017

15mins

Ranked #4

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Law's Expanding Empire

Law's Expanding Empire

Jonathan Sumption argues that the law is taking over the space once occupied by politics. Lord Sumption was until recent... Read more

21 May 2019

57mins

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Ranked #5

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Technology will Determine the Future of the Human Race

Technology will Determine the Future of the Human Race

This year's Reith Lecturer is the distinguished engineer, Lord Broers. Alec Broers is President of the Royal Academy of ... Read more

6 Apr 2005

42mins

Ranked #6

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Neuroscience - the New Philosophy

Neuroscience - the New Philosophy

This year's Reith Lecturer is Vilayanur S Ramachandran, Director of the Centre for Brain and Cognition. He has lectured ... Read more

30 Apr 2003

42mins

Ranked #7

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The Magic of Music

The Magic of Music

This year's lecturer is Daniel Barenboim, who has become known as one of the most versatile pianists of his generation. ... Read more

21 Apr 2006

41mins

Ranked #8

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The Time Traveller

The Time Traveller

French poet Jacques Darras delivers the first of his Reith Lectures entitled 'Beyond the Tunnel of History'. Taking ins... Read more

22 Nov 1989

29mins

Ranked #9

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The Origin of the Universe 1

The Origin of the Universe 1

This year's Reith Lecturer is Professor Bernard Lovell, the first Director of the Jodrell Bank Experimental Observatory,... Read more

7 Nov 1958

29mins

Ranked #10

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In the Beginning was Sound

In the Beginning was Sound

This year's lecturer is Daniel Barenboim, who has become known as one of the most versatile pianists of his generation. ... Read more

7 Apr 2006

42mins

Ranked #11

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The Day Is for the Living

The Day Is for the Living

Art can bring the dead back to life, argues the late novelist Hilary Mantel, starting with the story of her own great-gr... Read more

13 Jun 2017

50mins

Ranked #12

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Morality in Politics

Morality in Politics

Professor Michael Sandel delivers four lectures about the prospects of a new politics of the common good. The series is ... Read more

16 Jun 2009

42mins

Ranked #13

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The Darwinian Economy

The Darwinian Economy

The eminent economic historian Niall Ferguson travels to the world's financial centre to deliver a lecture at the New-Yo... Read more

26 Jun 2012

52mins

Ranked #14

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The Role of Individuality

The Role of Individuality

The inaugural Reith Lecturer is the philosopher, mathematician, and social reformer Bertrand Russell. One of the founder... Read more

9 Jan 1949

29mins

Ranked #15

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Synapses and the Self

Synapses and the Self

This year's Reith Lecturer is Vilayanur S Ramachandran, Director of the Centre for Brain and Cognition. He has lectured ... Read more

9 Apr 2003

42mins

Ranked #16

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A New Politics of the Common Good

A New Politics of the Common Good

Professor Michael Sandel delivers four lectures about the prospects of a new politics of the common good. The series is ... Read more

30 Jun 2009

42mins

Ranked #17

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War And Our World

War And Our World

The Reith lecturer for the 50th anniversary series, is British military historian and journalist John Keegan. He has bee... Read more

8 Apr 1998

43mins

Ranked #18

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Control and Initiative: Their Respective Spheres

Control and Initiative: Their Respective Spheres

The inaugural Reith Lecturer is the philosopher, mathematician, and social reformer Bertrand Russell. One of the founder... Read more

23 Jan 1949

29mins

Ranked #19

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The Origins Of War

The Origins Of War

This year's Reith lecturer is British military historian and journalist John KeeganIn his second lecture, recorded at th... Read more

15 Apr 1998

43mins

Ranked #20

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To Know Ourselves

To Know Ourselves

Sociologist A H Halsey, Professor of Social and Administrative studies at the University of Oxford, explores the charact... Read more

11 Jan 1978

29mins

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